One-year deals for Muir in Green Bay, Lee in Oakland

Green Bay - Defensive lineman Daniel Muir received no bonus money from the Green Bay Packers last week but at least he managed to obtain a one-year contract.

Thus, if Muir were to play well in 2012, he would be in line for an improved contract from Green Bay or a chance at unrestricted free agency.

Muir's one-year contract is worth the $700,000 minimum. If he lands on injured reserve, his base salary of $700,000 would be reduced to $368,000

Last season, Muir spent four weeks on the Indianapolis Colts' 53-man roster. He started two of four games, playing 12.8% of the downs and finishing with 11 tackles. At 6-2 and 312 pounds, he is able to play either end and nose tackle in the 3-4 base defense.

As a free agent from Kent State in 2007, Muir ran the 40 in 4.89 seconds and bench-pressed 225 pounds an impressive 37 times. He made the Packers that season as an undrafted rookie but then had a poor training camp in 2008 and was waived.

Meanwhile, cornerback Patrick Lee's one-year deal that he signed with Oakland as an unrestricted free agent is worth $680,000. His $615,000 base salary would be trimmed to $343,000 if he goes on injured reserve. Also, the contract contains a workout bonus of $65,000.

Last season, Lee played 348 snaps on special teams and 21 on defense for the Packers.

Center Jeff Saturday's two-year, $7.75 million deal also includes a Pro Bowl bonus worth $100,000 each year. In 2013, the Packers will have to pay him a $1.4M roster bonus if he's still with the club by the 30th day of the league year.

Saturday's cap salary of $3.175M left the Packers a total of $3.425M beneath the salary cap. That doesn't count the money allocated Thursday to defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove.

As of Friday morning, the average NFL team was $8.814M beneath the cap.

About Bob McGinn

Bob McGinn is a beat writer and columnist covering the Green Bay Packers. A six-time Wisconsin state sportswriter of the year, he won the Dick McCann Memorial Award in 2011 for long and distinguished reporting on pro football.